Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. I just make them do stuff. I do not profit from this in any way, shape or form.

Reviews always appreciated!

November 1928, Chicago.

The cold winter wind was biting, blowing off the icy waters of Lake Michigan and howling thru the streets of downtown. Han Solo pulled his wool coat closer around his body, trying to preserve any bit of warmth left in his body as he turned onto Dearborn street. Trying to remember how far up the block he had parked his beloved Ford truck that he affectionately nicknamed the Falcon, the rumble of an el train from overhead rattled his thoughts. The Falcon wasn't much to look at, but she was fast. Han had spent the summer tinkering with her, a couple of extra jobs providing the funds for some special modifications on the old pick up truck.

Han had been working for the North Side Hutts, a crime family that had been reaping the rewards of prohibition, running barrels of illegal liquor over the border and into the cities' many underground speakeasies. The work was dangerous, but the payouts were good, the only downfall to the job was the inconsistency of work and the ever looming risk of getting caught. The mayor of Chicago, Bail Organa, had made it his mission to crack down on the mob, the illegal liquor pouring into his city causing a surge in crime as the Hutts battled other rival mobs to maintain their control. Fortunately for Han, the Hutts were always one step ahead of Mayor Organa's police force and knew exactly which officers to bribe to keep their operations running smoothly and without too many interruptions.

Reaching his truck, Han pulled open the door, the metal hinges creaking in the cold air. Sliding the key into the ignition, it took a few tries for the engine to turn over, but once it did, the Falcon purred contently as Han eased her from the parking spot and began to drive down the street.

He made his way thru downtown, the busy business district he had been in giving way to neighborhoods and industrial areas as he continued southbound. He had been staying in a room he rented from Fiona Doyle, a middle aged Irish immigrant whose life had been less than lucky since coming to Chicago. Han liked Fiona. She was doing the best she could do after being widowed at too early of an age. Mr. Doyle had worked the steel mills, pulling a decent paycheck and providing a stable life for his wife until an unfortunate accident at work took him from her too soon. Fiona now survived by a small check from the government every month and taking in bachelors like Han, renting out the extra bedrooms upstairs in her two flat. Han looked at her almost like the mother he never had, sometimes getting annoyed that she was a little too overprotective of him, telling him that his newsboy cap wouldn't keep his ears warm and asking too many questions of where he was going or why he was coming back late.

Pulling up to the two flat, he threw the Falcon into park along the curb and hopped out of the truck. He was more than ready to get inside, the cold had seeped into his bones and he felt as though he would never get warm again.

"Han Solo" a man's voice cut thru the cold air, stopping Han in his tracks. He knew that voice anywhere and knew this moment was coming sooner or later.

His last run, some barrels of gin coming over the border had gone to hell, forcing him and his accomplice, Chewie, to crack the barrels open and let the liquor flow into the sewer drain of an alley before running like hell so they weren't caught by the cops who were already hot on their tails. It was only a matter of time before word got around to the crime boss that Han hadn't delivered the shipment as promised.

Turning on his heel, Han was met by a portly man dressed in a long heavy coat, his double chin tucked into a knit scarf and a bowler hat pulled down low on top of his bald head.

"Jabba. I've been waitin' for ya" Han smoothly stated.

"Have you now" Jabba replied, making little effort to hide his displeasure with Han.

Shooting the man a lopsided grin, Han was trying to play it cool. He knew he was in a world of shit with the North Side Hutts. If Jabba bothered to hunt you down personally, it usually didn't end well. "Didn't think I was gonna run, did ya?"

"Han, my boy, you disappoint me. Why haven't you paid me? What if everyone who smuggled for me dropped their cargo at the first sign of the cops? It's not good business."

Han stopped, turning towards Jabba and firmly pointed his finger at the man. "Look, Jabba, even I have run ins sometimes. Think I had a choice? But I got a nice easy shipment coming down the river tonight. I'll pay you back, plus a little extra. I just need a little more time".

Adjusting his hat, Jabba nodded, seemingly satisfied with Han's promise. "Han, my boy, you're the best. So for an extra twenty percent…."

Han interrupted, waving his hand in front of Jabba. "Fifteen, Jabba. Don't push it".

"Okay, fifteen percent. But, if you fail me again, I'll put a price on your head so big, you won't be able to go anywhere in the midwest".

Han was already walking up the sidewalk towards the door of the apartment building, only stopping to turn and look over his shoulder for a moment to scoff "Jabba, you're a wonderful human being".

Pushing the wooden door to the two flat open, Han walked into the common front room. A large fire was burning in the fireplace and Fiona was sitting in a wingback chair working on her knitting. The room was still cold despite the roaring fire. Han almost swore he could see his breath in the air.

"It's freezing in here Fiona" Han remarked.

"No money for coal for the furnace again this week. If I got a couple of more boarders, this house would be warm" Fiona replied, her voice thick with an Irish drawl.

"I can see what I can do to get some coal for us if you want" Han offered. Last winter had been a cold one, and if the weather outside was any indication of the months to come, it was going to be another rough one.

"I don't want you getting in any more trouble. I saw that guy out in the yard earlier. Him and his cronies were out there waitin' on you for a couple of hours".

"You can't freeze all winter, Fiona".

"And I don't want to see you behind any more eight balls with the likes of those guys" she said as shook her finger at the front window. "If you're not careful Han, you're gonna get caught up and get locked away in Joliet. Or worse, blipped off in an alley somewhere".

Fiona didn't know exactly what Han did or where he went, but she wasn't a stupid woman. She knew the life Han lead was on the fringes of legality, if not one that was completely illegal. One week he'd be buying her enough groceries so they could eat like royalty and the next he was begging her for just a few more days to make the rent on his room. She had suggested to Han on more than one occasion to go find himself a good job, one that had a steady paycheck. She knew he had other skills. She had watched him fix things on the Falcon in the backyard and help her around the house with small carpentry jobs she couldn't afford to hire someone else for. Always met with a shake of his head in disapproval that would cause his shaggy hair to flop into his eyes, he'd tell her he'd think about it. Ya scruffy looking scoundrel, she'd usually laugh back at him, silently hoping one day he'd change his mind and make an honest man of himself.

"Don't worry about me" Han smiled as he turned to make his way upstairs.

"I know you're a smart lad. Just don't let that get to ya' head".

Finally on winter break from the University of Chicago, Leia felt like she could finally relax a bit. She was halfway thru her sophomore year studying political science and after weeks of preparing and taking finals, she was ready to have a little fun before the holiday season came. Her father, Bail Organa, was the mayor of Chicago, which meant as a family, the Organa's were expected to attend multiple holiday dinners and parties hosted by the city's wealthy and elite. Leia hated the functions but knew good social graces and her father's political career meant that she had to attend.

Her best friend, Winter, had invited her that evening to a function that she promised would be everything but polite and stuffy. Winter had a knack for finding out where the best jazz bands and parties in the city happened and was even better at convincing Leia to come along. As the daughter of the mayor, Leia knew that she was taking a risk. Her father's main goal as a politician was to clean up the city of the mobs and illegal speakeasies that had flourished since prohibition had begun. His career meant that he often spent long hours working, leaving Leia and Winter unquestioned on where they were going or what they were doing, a relief to her. As a young teenager, Leia had tried to sneak out of the house once, her father catching her halfway down the tree outside of her bedroom window, leading to a stern talking to from him and her never attempting it again. Winter never let her live it down, liking that now usually rule abiding Leia was now a little rebellious and up to an adventure with her.

Leia stood in front of her closet, rows of dresses hung neatly as she stared at them, undecided on which one she was going to wear. Picking up a hanger and turning towards her bed as she pressed the dress to her body, she sighed.

"What do you think, Winter? This one?"

"I don't know Leia. I like both of them. It's not like your prince charming is going to be waiting for you at this place" Winter replied, reaching from her spot on the bed to the table next to it. Picking up the gramophone needle, Winter flipped the record over, placing it back down, allowing for a new song to begin playing.

Winter had a point. While her friend hasn't shared many details of the party they were going to, Leia knew it was most likely going to be attended by college students and younger workers from the industrial mills in the area, not stuffy friends of her father's. Throwing the gown onto the bed next to Winter, she turned back to her closet, pushing aside the rows of fancy lace and ornately beaded dresses to find a simpler outfit.

Now dressed in a plain cream colored drop wasted dress, Leia finished pinning up the last bit of her chestnut braids as she turned towards Winter.

"Now you look like you can cut a rug" Winter laughed, happy to see that Leia actually looked casual for once. She always thought her friend dressed too old for her age. She was just 19, yet Leia was always so prim and proper, most people guessing she was much older than she really was. Tonight, she was just Leia, a normal girl who looked like any other college aged student out for a night on the town.

Winter knocked twice on the doorway to the large industrial building as they waited for a response. Leia rocked back and forth, her arms crossed against her body trying to keep warm, her nerves starting to get the best of her. The neighborhood they were in was unfamiliar to her. She had followed Winter's lead as they made their way to the address of the party, trusting her friend that she knew where they were going. The door opened a crack and a young man popped his head out into the cold night air, looking up and down the alley to make sure the coast was clear before addressing Winter.

"Password?" he stated, his eyes darting to the side, studying Leia for a moment.

"Mandalorian" Winter whispered to the man. At her word, the man nodded and pushed the door open wider to allow Winter and Leia into the building.

"Have fun tonight, ladies" the man chided to them as they walked down the hall, the faint sound of music and rowdy laughter echoing against the brick walls as they made their way towards the party.

Han had attempted to take a quick nap upon returning to to his room, piling on couple of extra quilts on his bed that Fiona had left for him. He'd finally drifted off and generated some warmth under the blankets when he was jolted awake by Fiona hollering outside his door that he had a phone call waiting for him downstairs. Pulling the heavy layer of blankets from him with a reluctant groan, he got up and opened the door.

"Took you long enough, sleepyhead" Fiona chided to Han as he sprinted past her and down the stairs, the wooden flooring squeaking under him.

Picking up the receiver, Han held the earpiece to his ear, a gruff voice coming thru the hiss of static.

"Just heard word. It's here" Chewie's deep baritone stated, not revealing much information but the message was perfectly clear to Han. One of Han's contacts, Lando Calrissian, had secured a shipment of liquor that needed delivery that night, a quick job with an even quicker payout. He'd have Jabba off his back in no time. Han was almost giddy at the idea that things seemed to be looking up for him.

"Alright. I'll pick you up in a couple of minutes". Setting the receiver back down into the holder, Han quickly turned in the hall smoothing down his tousled hair before picking up his coat from the hook on the wall.

"Running out so soon again, Han?" Fiona asked as she leaned against the banister of the staircase.

"Got some business to take care of tonight" Han casually replied as he finished buttoning his wool jacket and bending down to tug on his black boots.

"Just be careful".

"Always am" he replied as he pulled his worn newsboy cap on to his head, grasping the bill for a second, tipping it towards Fiona, a trademark smirk curling the corners of his mouth.

It took a few tries, but the Falcon had started. She didn't like the cold, but she always seemed to work after a little bit of extra caressing. Han pulled up outside of Chewie's building, the engine rumbling quietly as Han waited for his friend. Hurry up, pal Han thought to himself as he watched the doorway, growing impatient that it was taking him so long. After a few minutes, the front door opened and Chewie came lumbering down the front walk.

Chewie sat down in the passenger's seat, folding his knees just so he could fit into the front of the Falcon. He was a enormously lanky man, well over six feet tall, with slicked back brown hair, piercing blue eyes and a beard that would rival a lumberjacks. Han never asked Chewie's real name or even where the strange nickname he used came from, but he was one of Han's closest friends and most trusted bootlegging partners. He knew Chewie always had his back, both of them getting each other out of tight situations before.

"Took ya long enough" Han said as he threw the Falcon into gear and started down the street.

Chewie reached into his coat pocket, unfazed by Han's remark as he drew out a pack of cigarettes. Tapping the carton, Chewie took one and put it to his lips before offering one to Han.

Han glanced over at his friend's offer. He usually wasn't much of a smoker, occasionally bumming a few if he'd been drinking or had a long drive ahead of him. "Ah, what the hell, why not" Han said as he reached for a cigarette. "I have a feeling tonight's gonna be a good night".

Cutting the headlights, Han turned from the main street onto a dead end side road that bordered the river. A low retaining wall ran along the end of the street, on the other side a partially hidden embankment sloped down to the water's edge. A thick underbrush of weeds and a few trees dotted the shore, camouflaging any activity that might take place below street level. The area surrounding the river was desolate, the only activity was the occasional river barge. The water hadn't frozen yet, but it was too late in the season for any nautical interruptions on this evening, a silence around them, the chirping crickets and birds of summer long gone as the cold air had already settled into the city.

Han and Chewie both exited the Falcon, easily hoping over the concrete wall and dropping down to the dirt below. A small path had been worn down that lead to the river's edge over time, Lando awaiting their arrival at the end of it. Han chuckled at Lando, looking all too overdressed to be pulling barrels of liquor out of a dirty river. The dark skinned man wore a light blue pea coat and golden brown slacks. He had a deep brown fedora cocked to the side on top of his head. Three men waited alongside of him, waiting for the order from Lando to load out the shipment.

"How you doin' Chewie? Still hanging around with this loser?" Lando chirped as the pair reached him.

"Still dressing like a drugstore cowboy, I see" Chewie chuckled back at him as he flicked his spent cigarette butt towards the water.

"Where's the stuff?" Han asked as he scanned the riverbank. He was more interested in getting the shipment loaded into the Falcon and on it's way than Lando and Chewie's banter.

"Right over here" Lando slapped Han on the shoulder with a smile. "Always more interested in business".

Han and Chewie followed Lando a few yards down the river's edge to behind a large tree. Lando pushed away what appeared to be a small pile of fallen branches and dried leaves on the ground to expose a iron cover set in a large square of concrete. Reaching down, he pulled open the trapdoor, exposing a hidden bunker of liquor barrels.

The Hutts had an extensive network of liquor suppliers around the Midwest. Using various modes of transport, the gang favored using the river that cut thru Chicago. Paying off barge workers meant large quantities of illegal liquor could be moved unnoticed amongst normal goods. Since the season had ended, the Hutts had made sure that the bunkers along the river had been stocked and ready to be moved by bootleggers on land such as Han and Chewie. After the first snow fell, the work would slow, but it was still possible to make a buck. The Hutts also had numerous truck drivers working for them, making runs over the borders into the backwoods of Wisconsin or into the farmlands of Indiana to bring back loads of hooch, although in much smaller quantities than the summer barge runners could haul.

Han smiled. There was more than enough hooch sitting in the hole tonight to pay back Jabba plus a little extra for him and Chewie.

"I'll have my men load it up". Lando gestured the men as they began to unload the barrels from the hiding place, rolling them up the embankment to Han's waiting Ford.

The Falcon looked like any other ordinary truck, but Han had modified it so that there were hidden compartments, reinforcing the frame to support the added weight of a heavy load. Chewie helped Han lift the top of the compartment hidden in the truck bed, allowing Lando's men to roll the first barrel up a makeshift plywood ramp into the waiting empty hold.

After a few more minutes, the Falcon was successfully loaded and the compartment top was secured back into place. Lando pulled a small brown bag from the inside of his coat and handed it to Han who in turn tucked it into his own coat pocket.

"Look for Fett when you get there. He'll have the rest of your payment" Lando instructed. Han already knew how the Hutts operated. Half on pickup, the rest on delivery, ensuring that no one pulled any funny business in between.

"See ya around" Han nodded toward Lando as he and Chewie climbed back into the Falcon. Turning the truck around, Han drove off down the street, flipping the headlights back on as he pulled onto the main street.

Making his way thru the neighborhood of Bridgeport, Han turned into an alley behind a large warehouse. Backing up the Falcon to a nondescript doorway, he left the engine running as he hopped from the driver's seat and walked to the metal door. Forming a fist, he pounded against it twice before taking a step back. He exhaled as he waited, his breath curling in a cloud in front of him in the frigid night air. Glancing up and down the alley, it was empty and quiet. The silence was broken as the door cracked open, a red haired man stepping out into the alleyway. Han recognized the man from other drop offs, but could never remember his name. It wasn't important, he was more interested in getting the barrels out of the Falcon and into the building so he could collect his other half of his payout.

"What you got for me tonight, Solo?" the man asked.

"Little of this, little of that" Han replied, not exactly sure what the barrels contained. Most of the time it was whiskey or gin, two of the most popular liquors in demand at the speakeasies such as the one he was currently delivering to.

Chewie opened the passenger's door, stretching his long legs from the Falcon as he made his way around to the back to assist Han with unloading. The red haired man was joined by a few other men as Han lifted the compartment on the Falcon open, allowing the men to unload the barrels and begin rolling them into the warehouse.

The red haired man watched as his men rolled the last barrel into the building, disappearing into the dark, leaving him, Han and Chewie alone in the alley.

"Open for business inside. Get a little reward for your hard work" the man tilted his head towards the large brick building behind him.

"Nah, just want to collect and get out of here" Han replied. He had little interest in actually participating in the parties that his bootlegging supplied. He was tired, he had every intention of returning to his room and going to bed.

"Come on. Just a couple drinks" Chewie interjected.

The man chuckled. "At least one of you wants to have a little fun. Go around to the other side, the alley by the oak tree. Fifth door down. You know the password".

Han and Chewie circled the block, parking the Falcon enough distance away from the building before walking to the alleyway to the doorway that the man had instructed as the correct one to knock on.

This particular speakeasy was hidden away down a series of hallways and stairwells in an old industrial factory. Climbing the last set of stairs, Han and Chewie entered into a large room, what was once the main work floor of the factory. The windows had been painted over, the room illuminated by overhead lighting that hung from the high ceilings. A long bar had been constructed against one of the walls and a stage featuring a rowdy jazz band playing on it was against the far wall. The dance floor in front of it was filled with couples, swinging and moving in rhythm with the music. Tables dotted the remaining area of the room, white table clothes draped over them with single candles placed in the center. The room was every bit as nice as many of the downtown clubs despite its warehouse setting, but with one major advantage in the prohibition age over any of the legitimate clubs. They served liquor, all sorts of drinks that were illegal everywhere else thanks to the Eighteenth Amendment. People from all walks of life joined together in the speakeasy, from the upper class to the lower class, everyone was here to enjoy themselves and under this roof, they were all equal in the fact what they were doing was illegal.

Han scanned the large room, spotting Fett sitting in a far corner at a table. Making his way thru the crowded, he slid into the bench next to the dark haired man dressed in a green and red sweater.

"Good to see you, Solo. Thanks again".

Han felt an object bump again his leg under the table. Another bag, the rest of his payment. He reached for it, taking it from Fett and discreetly tucking it into his coat.

"Catch you later, Fett".

Han stood from the table, easily blending into the crowd. How he had lost Chewie, that overgrown fuzzball, in the short time he was with Fett was beyond him. Hardly paying attention to where he was going, Han turned around, bumping directly into a petite brown haired girl. The drink she was holding sloshed from the glass in her hand, the liquor seeping into her cream colored dress, leaving a dark amber stain against the pale fabric.

"Oh god! I'm sorry!" Han exclaimed, fumbling towards his pants pocket for his handkerchief in disbelief that he had just knocked into the girl.

"Maybe if you watched where you going, you nerf herder" Leia snapped at Han, taking the handkerchief from his hand with a snap. Blotting at the stain on her dress, Han stood there, looking at her, not quite what to do. She was mad, rightfully so, but it was an accident on his part.

"At least let me make it right and get you a new drink" Han offered.

Leia paused, glancing up at him. "No, thank you" she curtly replied, giving up on trying to remove the stain. If anything the tattered piece of cloth he had offered her had only made it worse.

Attempting to reason with her, he hardly wanted some girl's evening to be ruined because of his clumsiness. "Look, it was a mistake".

Leia sighed. It had been an accident. If anything she was more annoyed that she agreed to come along to the party in the first place. Winter had been offered a dance from a man, leaving Leia to sit at a table alone. She had already turned down dances from a few men throughout the evening, all too drunk and bumbling crudely towards her as they tried to get her attention. Handing his handkerchief back to Han, Leia couldn't help to think that he was kind of cute, in a scruffy sort of way.

"Fine. I'll take you up on the drink. You do owe me one…" She trailed off, realizing their impromptu meeting had left no time for proper introductions.

"Han" he filled in the blank, extending his hand for a handshake.

"Leia" she replied as she shook his hand. He had a firm grip, his strong calloused fingers wrapping around her dainty hand.

"Well, Miss Leia, let's get you that drink then".

Han passed the glass of whiskey to Leia before taking a sip of his own. He couldn't stop staring at her as they found an empty table and sat down together. She was beautiful. Her pale skin contrasted starkly with her dark hair. She had it pinned up in an intricate braided style, much different than the popular waves and short bobs he'd seen most girls wearing. Han wondered what she looked like with it loose, why she hadn't chosen to cut it like many other woman had.

"So, Han, what brings you here tonight?" Leia asked, hoping to strike up a conversation with the handsome stranger.

"Just came with a friend" he partly lied to her. He was here with Chewie, and he was a friend of his. She didn't need to know he'd gotten the very liquor they were currently drinking to the place, this more of a work outing than anything for him.

"Me too. But she left me to go dance with some guy".

"Well, that's not very nice of her" Han laughed.

Leia giggled, taking another sip of her drink to disguise her smile. Han was charming, even if he was clumsy and most likely ruined her dress, she wasn't mad at him anymore.

Han noticed her smile, despite her efforts to hide it. She was very pretty when she smiled. Hell, he thought to himself, she was pretty when she was yelling at him earlier.

"Are you a mechanic?" Leia asked.

"What?"

"Your fingers, when you shook my hand, they were rough".

Han ran his palms against his pants leg under the table. Are they really that bad? He was always a little self conscious about the callouses he had formed over the years. Fiona would tell him that it was a sign he was a man who knew a hard days work. To him, it was just a reminder of all the things he'd had done for a dollar over his lifetime, none of which were anything reputable enough to make him a decent man.

"I work on my truck a lot. I call her the Falcon".

Inquisitive of why Han would call his vehicle such a name, she tilted her head a bit as she asked "The Falcon?"

"Well, cause she's fast. You should come for a ride with me sometime".

Leia was surprised at how quickly Han had offered something like that, slightly taken aback. He seemed like enough of a gentleman, but Leia couldn't help to think he might be working his charms for other intentions from her. "Oh, I don't know".

"Okay, so that's a no? How about a dance instead?" Han offered. He didn't want Leia to think he was moving too fast. He'd just met the girl, he hardly wanted to scare her off already.

"I'd like that".

Han wasn't a great dancer, but he knew a few steps. He watched as Leia moved in front of him, hopping along with the quick tempo of the song the band was playing. Reaching out towards him, she wrapped her fingers through his, allowing for Han to spin her around before resting his other hand on her waist.

Han watched over Leia's shoulder as she continued to move under his touch, noticing two men moving along the wall near the main doorway. They were scanning the room suspiciously in a manner that Han recognized all too well to know what was about to happen next. Leia was unaware, her body still swaying in time to the music as Han stopped dancing.

Puzzled, Leia slowed down, staring at him. "Han? Why'd you stop? The songs not over".

Han grasped Leia's hand as he turned and began to pull her along, weaving his way through the other dancing couples, all blissfully unaware, lost in the music.

"Just keep up with me, Leia" Han warned over his shoulder at her, firmly gripping onto her as he lead them towards the back doorway of the room, away from the main entrance.

The music abruptly stopped as the main door swung open, a multitude of uniformed police officers storming into the room. "Chicago Police! This is raid!"

Han pushed Leia through the backdoor into a stairwell, pulling the heavy metal door shut behind them, the sounds of people screaming and running in every direction in the speakeasy behind them as they began to flee down the iron staircase.

"Keep up with me Leia! I know a way out of here" Han shouted to her, his voice echoing in the stairwell along with their footsteps.

"What the hell is happening?" Leia shot back to him, her eyes wide with panic as her short legs tried to keep up with his long strides.

Finally reaching the ground level of the warehouse, Han pushed open another door, the cold air of outside hitting them. Leia was out of breath but before she could even stop for a second, Han was grabbing her hand again as they took off running again down the alley. They ran the entire distance back to the Falcon, Han's pace finally slowing as they approached the truck. Leia slumped down on the curb next to it, taking a deep breath, trying to regain her composure.

"You alright?" Han asked, leaning against the front grill and looking down at her.

"I'm fine. Oh god, Winter. I hope Winter is okay".

"Winter?" Han questioned.

"My friend. She was off dancing with that guy".

Han knew how the police worked. They'd round as many people up as they could, weed out who was behind the operation and let everyone else go with a warning to not get caught again. He had every reason to get out of there, his coat pocket was still full of his payment, evidence that could clearly pin him to some kind of participation if he was searched. He didn't have to save Leia. He could have easily made an excuse to leave her when he first noticed the men near the doorway. For whatever reason, he couldn't have left her behind, something in him told him to save her too.

"She'll be okay".

"How'd you know another way out?" Leia asked.

"It's freezing out. You want to sit in my truck and warm up?" Han suggested, completely changing the subject to avoid answering Leia's question. He knew of the back staircase because he knew the Hutts always designed their speakeasies to have multiple entrances. Running everything from one door made it too easy to be watched, having things brought in from different sides made things harder to track.

Tugging at the passenger's door, it took most of Leia's strength to open it, the rusty hinges squeaking loudly. As she climbed into seat, she looked toward Han.

"So this is the Falcon?"

"Yup".

"What a piece of junk" she laughed, hardly believing Han loved this rickety old truck so much as to brag about it to her earlier in the evening.

"Easy now, she's got feelings!" Han ran his hand against the dash affectionately, silently telling his beloved truck that Leia didn't mean what she had said about her. "Do you need a ride home?"

"I guess I'll have to take you up on that offer after all".

Cutting thru side streets to avoid the warehouse, the Falcon bumped along the road, Leia sitting in silence as she watched the passing houses and apartment buildings. She noticed a blonde girl walking with a tall man along the sidewalk, jumping forward in her seat and grabbing hold of Han's arm.

"Slow down! It's Winter!"

"And Chewie" Han added, instantly recognizing his lanky friend walking on the side of the road.

Easing off the accelerator, Han pulled the Falcon over to the side of the road. Leia jumped from the passenger's seat before the truck had even come to a complete stop. Running towards Winter, she wrapped her arms around her friend.

"Oh thank god!" Leia exclaimed to Winter. "I was so scared you got busted!"

"I was more scared for you! Imagine your dad finding out you were here! He would have gone crazy" Winter said as she returned Leia's embrace.

Han walked around the truck and leaned against the back bumper of the Falcon, Chewie strolling up to join him.

"Who's the broad?" Chewie asked while flipping open his zippo lighter and holding it to the end of a cigarette that was already in his lips as both men watched the two girls reunite.

"I should ask you the same question. A blonde huh? Not normally your type" Han smirked back at his friend.

Linking her arm thru Leia's, Winter and her walked together towards Han and Chewie, patiently waiting for them.

"You can ride along with us" Han offered. "I was taking Leia home anyways".

"Please. That would be so kind of you" Winter replied, giving Leia a look from the corner of her eye, one that was a mix of surprise and delight that Leia had found such a cute looking boy at the party, let alone the fact he was allowing her to drive her home.

The four of them barely fit in the Falcon. Chewie took up most of the front, Winter sitting on his lap, leaving Leia to be squished uncomfortably between the couple and against Han's side. Han had to awkwardly reach across Leia's thigh each time the old Ford needed to be shifted into another gear, trying his best not to brush again her leg inappropriately, as much as his more primal instincts longed to.

Han continued to drive north, following Leia's directions. Old Town was one of the nicest neighborhoods in the city, home to many bankers and politicians, a stark contrast the working class neighborhood of Bridgeport that Han lived in. The neighborhood they were now in contained large stately homes on tree lined streets, a vast difference to small bungalows and two flats Han was used to seeing.

"You can stop here" Leia instructed to him.

"You live here?" Han asked, pointing to a large Victorian style home they had parked in front of out the window.

"No, I live down the block. Pretty sure my father would never let me leave the house again if he saw me stumbling out of this hunk of junk at two in the morning".

"Hey now, this bucket of bolts saved our skins tonight".

Winter had already climbed off of Chewie's lap and from the Falcon. They were both saying their goodbyes to each other on the sidewalk as they shared one last cigarette together, leaving Han and Leia alone inside of the Ford.

"Thanks for the rescue tonight" Leia said as she shifted over a bit into the free space left in Chewie and Winter's absence.

"No problem, sweetheart". Han wanted to lean over and kiss her but something in him told her that she wasn't the type of girl that would appreciate quick advances, no matter how much a gentleman he had been that evening.

"Am I ever going to see you again?" he asked, wondering what the odds were that a girl like her and a guy like him had together.

Leia smiled. She didn't know the answer to his question. She wanted to see him again, but the logistics of it all seemed too unfathomable to her. He looked so out of place sitting there in his rusty Ford and worn newsboy cap, surrounded by homes that cost more than a mechanic would make in a few years' salary. Her father would never approve of him, his hair was too shaggy and he was from a working class neighborhood. She didn't care about such trivial matters as his social status. She liked Han and her heart told her that there was more to him than just his scruffy yet handsome appearance. Reaching for a pen on the dash of the truck, she took his hand and began to press the tip of it against his palm.

"Call me sometime. But only after ten at night. If I don't answer, don't say anything" she disclosed as she continued to write against his skin.

Han looked down at his palm, a scribble of numbers now in black ink across his calloused hand before looking back up at her in a stunned silence. Her phone number was written on him, the best series of numbers he'd ever seen in his life. Her deep brown eyes looked at him in the darkness, hesitating for a moment before she turned to leave.

"Good night, Han. It was good to meet you" Leia said before jumping from the truck to the sidewalk.

"Bye, Leia".

Chewie climbed back in as Winter and Leia began to walk down the sidewalk into the night, Han watching her disappearing figure until she was hardly visible anymore. He hoped that their good night was not a final goodbye as he started the Falcon again, turning the truck around and heading towards home.